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EMPIRE® Zoysia
Homeowner Maintenance Guide
Drought Tough
Disease Resistant
Soft Texture
Wear Tolerant
Summer Maintenance Video
Seasonal Guides for Your EMPIRE® Zoysia Maintenance
SUMMER
Mowing
EMPIRE Zoysia’s mowing heights during the summer generally range from about 1–2 inches. When mowing during the summer, never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at a time. If you remove more than that, you will stress the grass and it may go brown for a short time. Taller blades provide more shade for your root system to stay cool and retain moisture during the hot summer days. If you are returning from vacation, you may have to mow multiple times to get the grass back to the desired height. Wait about 3–5 days between each mowing.
Watering
Do not overwater the grass. EMPIRE only needs about 1 inch of water weekly. Water for longer periods of time, less frequently and in the early morning hours. Take rainfall into consideration.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the summer season by applying the Lawnifi’s Summer Fertilizer Box or apply Lawnifi Foundation once every three months.
Insect Control
Check for and control any hunting billbugs. Apply Merit 0.5G, Bifen XTS or Bifen L/P to treat them if they are currently an issue. If you use a granular product, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Calculate that watering into your weekly watering amount. Other insects to look out for include mole crickets, grub worms and spittlebugs.
Fungus Control
Disease outbreaks in EMPIRE are uncommon at this time. Treat with a broad-spectrum fungicide like Heritage if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Calculate that watering into your weekly watering amount.
Summer Products
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FALL
Mowing
During the fall, mowing will occur less often—keeping your EMPIRE slightly higher than the regular 1–2 inch height will encourage deeper root growth which helps it survive in colder temperatures and during winter dormancy.
Watering
Water less as temperatures drop—too much water will lead to disease. Water to prevent drought stress while grass is actively growing and after the beginning stages of dormancy to prevent dehydration.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn monthly during the fall season by applying the Lawnifi’s Fall Fertilizer Box or apply Lawnifi Foundation once every three months.
Insect Control
Check for and control any white grubs. Treat with an insecticide if needed. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption.
Fungus Control
If large patch disease is a common problem in your EMPIRE, apply a fungicide at a preventative rate. If you use a granular variety, water the lawn immediately after application to help soil absorption. Consider mapping those areas because fungicide treatment can be expensive.
Fall Products
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SPRING
Mowing
If you have a mature, established EMPIRE Zoysia grass lawn, drop your mower a notch and give your lawn a “buzz-cut” for the first mow of the spring with a rotary mower that has a sharpened blade. Bag up all the material to keep excess clippings from clumping or causing disease. Check out our Sod University article on the First Mow of the Spring for EMPIRE for more details.
After your initial “buzz-cut,” begin mowing your zoysia grass at the height of 1–2 inches. You can return to spreading your mower clippings on the lawn at this time.
Watering
Don’t overwater. EMPIRE needs about 1 inch of water a week considering rainfall. If you apply any granular fertilizer or control product, you will need to water it in. This is a sufficient amount of water for the week. Overwatering may promote disease outbreak. Conduct an irrigation audit to evaluate how much water is being delivered to different areas of your lawn.
Fertilization
For optimal results, feed your lawn during the spring season by applying Lawnifi Foundation, a granular fertilizer, or the Lawnifi Spring Fertilizer Box.
Weed Control
Apply a pre-emergent herbicide when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent summer annual weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass from plaguing your lawn and garden. Apply post-emergent herbicides in May as needed to control summer annual and perennial broadleaf weeds like white clover, knotweed, spurge and lespedeza. Products containing multiple broadleaf active ingredients are more effective in controlling broadleaf weeds.
Insect Control
Apply a broad-spectrum insecticide to prevent spring insects from appearing or to control any current spring insects like billbugs or white grubs. If you see any white grubs, apply a systemic insecticide like Scotts GrubEx or Dylox 6.2 Granular Insecticide.
Fungus Control
Apply a systemic fungicide at a preventive rate to keep disease from taking hold of your lawn. You may begin to see disease outbreaks as your EMPIRE begins to green up. Do not apply fertilizer until you’ve applied a systemic fungicide at a curative rate and your grass has recovered.
Spring Products
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A Word of Caution for Newly Sodded Lawns
A pre-emergent contains a chemical that prevents a weed from putting down roots. Because it is a root inhibitor, it can also negatively affect your new lawn, which is trying to establish itself by putting down roots. If you successfully killed and removed your old lawn, including all the weeds in it, your newly sodded lawn should have relatively few weeds. It is suggested that you hand pick weeds out of your newly sodded lawn for the first season.